


Hide and Seek

by nothingeverlost



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-27
Updated: 2012-08-27
Packaged: 2017-11-13 01:05:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/497680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothingeverlost/pseuds/nothingeverlost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snow and Charming come to Rumpelstiltskin, hoping to find out just how much trouble to expect from Regina.  Rum, as usual, watches his words carefully.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hide and Seek

**Author's Note:**

> This was going to be a drabble, just because talking about the Queen so much yesterday reminded me of a post ep plot bunny I had for the season finale. It ended up being a bit longer than a drabble. Takes place the day after the finale

Snow was worried. When Snow was worried that meant, without question, that Charming was worried as well, though he didn’t show it as visibly. Emma hadn’t stopped worrying since the moment Henry bit into the turnover, but she was intent on her boy’s safety and wouldn’t be leaving the hospital until she was able to take him with her. It was the Princess and her Prince, alone, that stood together at his door, heads bowing to him briefly though there was a look in Charming’s eye that said he did not do so easily.

“Regina is missing.” Snow never had any trouble speaking to him, not even when her husband was reticent. It was nice to see that some things had not changed.

“Pity,” he said in a voice that made it clear he thought no such thing.

“We need to know where she is.” Snow did not enter the house until he stepped back and made a sweeping gesture towards the library. Belle was asleep upstairs, and he would not have her rest interrupted by voices.

“We need to know how much of a threat she is. Someone released Magic.” Charming did not accept his hospitality, choosing to stand beside his wife’s seat on the couch. He did not wear a sword, not yet, but that did not mean he was any less ready to attack. The sheppard had made the transformation into a knight rather completely.

“Any magic released here is going to be unpredictable, as is the result of trying to use it. She’s always been better with flash than technique; whether that makes her more or less dangerous, I don’t know. She’s clever to hide, though, with a whole town crying for her blood.” He’d walked the city streets twice now, last night and early this morning. The Queen’s name on everyone’s lips, with some rather creative suggestions as to what should happen to her.

“We don’t want a lynch mob. Anything that happens to her must be justice, not vengeance.”

“Snow! After everything she’s done you think she deserves _justice_?” The Prince looked to his True Love with surprise; evidently not everything had been discussed between them in the last day. Rum twisted his mouth into a smirk; he had a good guess that ‘talk’ had not been high on their priority list after leaving their daughter and grandson at the hospital the night before.

Then again ‘talk’ had not been his priority the night before either.

“If nothing else she’s raised Henry for all of his life, James. He needs resolution and peace, not the knowledge that his mother’s life was taken with glee.”

“She would not offer any of us the same consideration.” Charming glared. “And Emma’s his real mother, not Regina.”

“Your daughter,” he couldn’t help tossing out, half in hopes of derailing their little domestic. They could have that conversation on their own. “Lovely girl she turned out to be. You must be proud.”

“Don’t think we’re done talking about your part in this, Rumpelstiltskin.” Charming’s fist was turning white from clenching it so hard. Rum had a good idea that the prince would rather it was around his throat. Beside him Snow’s eyes glimmered with pain and regret. He had not meant to hit her with his well aimed arrow, had forgotten for a moment that a mother might care for a child even more than a father. “You knew this would happen.”

“I told you this would happen, dearie, both the curse casting and the breaking. Twenty-eight years to the day, and I was right.” The clock in the hall struck ten. Belle would wake any time now, no matter how exhausted she’d been the night before. He had no desire to share her with other people just yet. He focused on Snow, his dealings always easier with her. “After your charming husband, dearie, I’m the last person Regina would seek out, as my feelings towards her are fueled with more hate than your own. If there’s another way I can help I will, and you have my word that I want no harm to come to your child or your child’s child. Is there anything else you seek?”

“Many things, but no other from you today, Rumpelstiltskin. You’ve always kept your word, and I think you for your promise.” She held out her hand to him; it was a surprise when rather than a shake she squeezed and held his hand. “This is only another beginning, isn’t it? Nothing’s ended yet.”

“It’s a new world, dearie. Only time will tell what that means.” He walked them both to the door, watching for a moment as the couple walked away together, hands linked. They would not let each other go easily anytime soon.

“Rum? Is someone else here?” Belle stood at the top of the stairs, clad only in one of his shirts. He smiled up at her, all the joy and amazement of her return flooding through him once again. She was alive.

“No one of any consequence, love. Just a brief visit.” His need for a cane was not as great as it had been a day ago. He was, thankfully, able to climb the stairs with little effort, to be rewarded with a kiss.

“I woke up alone. I didn’t know…”

“I’ll never leave without telling you. I promise.” He held her against him, sealing the promise with a kiss. And then more than a kiss, when she walked backward down the hall, leading them to the bed they’d shared the night before.

II

“I’ll be back in an hour, love. You deserve to have your reunion in private.” It was almost three hours later when he dropped her off at the home where Rose French had supposedly grown up, but she’d never lived. Her papa paced the front porch, waiting for her. Only Rum saw his glower when Belle kissed her love goodbye.

“An hour and no more. I will miss you.” 

“And I you, Belle.” She squeezed his hand before slipping from the car and running up the walk. The reunion was a tender thing to see. he was glad for his love, and jealous of a man who had his child’s return already. Maurice sure as hell better prove worthy of the love and trust his daughter had for him.

Rather than return home Gold headed for the woods, and his cabin. He carried a small bag from Granny’s diner, bringing it into the building and heading down the stairs. The basement was one big room. Kathryn had stayed here, though after a few days she’d moved upstairs; she’d enjoyed the quiet and the chance to escape the unheval in her life for a few days. Now he had a new guest, and had no intention of letting her go anywhere.

“Good afternoon, your Majesty.” He affected a deep bow, and offered her a toothy grin as he straightened. “I trust you slept well?”

“You bastard. You can’t do this to me.” She tugged at the chains that held her to the wall. She still wore her clothing from the day before, streaked with dirt and torn. Her makeup ran down her face, washed away with tears. Never in two worlds had he seen her so disheveled.

Rumpelstiltskin laughed, and for the first time in three decades it was a high pitched giggle, an inhuman sound. “Oh dearie, but I can. And this is only the beginning.”

Regina wasn’t able to hide the fear that she suddenly felt. Good. She should be afraid; she’d hurt his Belle.

He’s assured Snow and Charming that Regina had no reason to come to him. He’d said nothing about being the one to go after her. As for their need to know where she was? Well some things were better kept secret; Regina herself had proven that.


End file.
